Thanks Kod!
I think this idea of scholars "famous by Muslim standards" is a moot point. Can you name any, Hassan1?
You seem to have this idea that there is a consensus about trustworthy scholars in the Muslim world today. Futher, most Muslim scholars know nothing outside of Islam. Watch Islam Channel. These guys are completely out of touch with the world, living in their own little bubbles. Who are these people to tell me anything about my life?
As I suppose this is my introduction thread, I'll list my problems with Islam and maybe you can also ask a scholar "famous by Muslim standards" as you have the good fortune of knowing Hassan1 unlike the rest of us.
Marriage to Ayesha
Marriage to Safiya
Rape of female captives
Banu Qurayza massacre (and general murder of non-Muslim non-combatants)
Attitude towards woman (beating, stoning, no mention of rape punishment, more women in Hellfire, deficient in faith, testimony less than man, inheritance half of man)
Shariah punishments (apostacy, homosexuality, fornication, stealing)
Attitude towards homosexuality
Non-Muslim second-class citizens under Islamic State
Scientific errors in the Qur'an
Eternal damnation vs. Most Merciful God
"Religion for all times and places" only completely understood by few, mostly Arabic-speaking people
Miracle of the Qur'an ("Produce an ayah like it") is not a miracle
The bold ones are the ones that, unless all of them are clarified, I will never return to Islam.
This is a pretty standard list of reservations. A few links + comments. I dont want to get drawn into an elongated debate on the matter because, quite frankly, I do not have the religious knowledge to be delve into a lot of these matters.
Aisha:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544940 and an alternative opinion.
http://www.muslim.org/islam/aisha-age.htmBanu Qurayzah:
http://www.haqq.com.au/~salam/misc/qurayza.html <-- Also includes some general thoughts on the validiy of Ibn Ishaq's seerah.
Role of Women in Islam:
Listen to Hamza Yusuf's men and women in Islam, here:
http://www.ilookisee.co.uk/Hamza%20Yusuf%202.htmShariah punishments:
Apostasy:
http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Islam/2006/04/The-Legal-Tradition-Of-Islamic-Apostasy.aspxReligion for all times and all places: Despite being in Arabic, Islam has spread to all corners of the world. It is not neccesary to speak Arabic in order to understand its message, as is evidenced by the growing number of western converts as well as the renewed interest in Islam from non-arabic speaking Muslims.
I know I have only responded to some of your conerns, but I do advise that you actually sit down with somebody who will be able to answer your questions in a manner befitting to their importance. You have to put in effort (not saying that you havent alread done so); a friend of mine was on the verge of apostating until he found a sheikh who provided thoughtful, clear and inspired advice.
Continue to read and research. Ask questions on Muslim forums. Read through the articles on
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/, make dua and ponder. Always ponder.
Hassan
Topic: Hello!